FINALLY..... cable modem !!! couple questions

Topshelf · Post by **Topshelf** » Sun Jan 14, 2001 11:55 pm

Hey Vid, I don't know how far USB has come, but when I had a USB nic I lost my connection atleast once or twice a day for no reason. I tried everything possible and there was no cure. Installed a PCI nic and been problem free ever since.

Also, you may seriously want to look into a nice hardware router. You can pick up a NetGear RT-314 for around $120 now. It's much faster than any ICS or Sygate, it adds a decent level of security, and there is no need to use 1 pc as a gateway. Just turn them on and off as you want. I've gone through ICS, and 3 routers using combo's of Win98, WinMe and Win2k. Do yourself a favor and get the Netgear...You won't be sorry.

But whatever you do will be 1000 times better than dial-up. I've been an @Home member for a few years now. You'll read alot of bad things about them once you hit the sites. But all in all I have no major complaints.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. If you get a dedicated line to your pc, let me know what you said to the guy. I had 3 technicians out after I moved to my new house due to poor speeds and I tried everything from beer to bribes to get a dedicated line. No Go! I had one at my old house, but they flat out refused it time after time. As long as you use the splitter they give you (YOU MUST USE THAT SPLITTER), the ones from Radio Shack will not work. And you splice that into the line as soon as it enters the house. Must be the ONLY split going to your pc, you'll be fine.

Well this is getting kinda long so congrats.

Ladies Man · Post by **Ladies Man** » Sun Jan 14, 2001 11:58 pm

ah you're nuts

I've got tons of splits off the line going to the comp and speeds haven't slowed any

Topshelf · Post by **Topshelf** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 12:03 am

LOL, your nuts man. Go check out the output on those splitters. You lose signal quality after each one. After 3 or 4 you might as well stay on dial-up.

dadx2mj · Post by **dadx2mj** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 12:12 am

Ladies Man if you want more spliters I have a bunch I can send your way as for me I know my connection is better with the dedicated line.

skeeter · Post by **skeeter** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 3:05 am

Definately go with the NIC, USB modems mostlikely use up more CPU resources, and probably buggy as well. For sharing the internet connection, the best way to go is get a HUB and additional IP's for each computer. Depending on where you live, prices will vary for each IP. If you don't wanna pay the extra cash, a hardware router / software router will work, just not as smoothly as an additional IP would. Where I live each IP is 6 bucks extra/month, and how I have mine setup is the cable modem hooked up to the crossover on the HUB, and each computer hooked up to the HUB to what ever port with each computer assigned there own IP.

Kakarot · Post by **Kakarot** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 10:34 am

Thats not true topshelf.. I got a splitter from radio shack or someplace.. and it worked fine. I don't have cable tv.. but I split the cable modem line and get free cable tv now(including HBO and showtime) and still get an average of 2-3Mb connections. I have @home service and its been good for me. Only down once last month other than that its been reliable. I have a motorola surfboard modem hooked up to a pci nic.

I got the service for $19.95/m for the first six months and then $39.95/m after that... tho thats with modem rental. The only complaint I have with mine is that at&t caps my uploads at 128k... P's me off! but downloads are way faster than I ever expected and ping times are great too.

Vid.. go with a hardware router to share that bad boy. Its the easiest and fastest way to do it... and the router adds some firewall protection in itself. If you get the version of the router with the 4port switch built in you won't even have to buy a separate hub.

Topshelf · Post by **Topshelf** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 11:32 am

Well I'm not looking to start anything or to say I'm right. But if you look at the output of the Radio Shack splitters compared to the supplied splitter from the cable company, you'll notice that the RadioShack one has a lower output resulting in line degradation. I guess if it's working that's great. But I would never use one on my cable.

And yes, forget the extra IP's. Just get a switched router like the RT-314 or any of those listed here. Practically Netwroked. Just stay clear of the Linksys BEFSR41, alot of people had major issues with that one...including me.

Kakarot · Post by **Kakarot** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 1:16 pm

Just curious.. whats the output say on the one you got from the cable company? so I can compare it to what mine says? I'm at work now but if I remember correctly it says 5-1100Mhz on the splitter I have.

dadx2mj · Post by **dadx2mj** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 1:43 pm

When they ran my dedicated line the cable guy showed me with his meter that each splitter dropped 3db (or what ever the measurment was)

Topshelf · Post by **Topshelf** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 3:59 pm

OK Kakarot, we're both right.

There is a specific splitter for cable modems. However, You were right about RadioShack selling them. I try to stay out of that store so I was not aware of this. But they also carry the standard 75Ohm model that will not work.

My splitter reads:
5-1000Mhz
110db EMI Insulation
3.5db drop at the outputs

Here's the one from RadioShack that is the same. Good Splitter

And here's the one to stay away from. Bad Splitter

Danielm7 · Post by **Danielm7** » Mon Jan 15, 2001 4:48 pm

Another vote for a hardware router, I've shared via a gateway pc with a few different programs, 98se, 2000 etc. Also used it on dial up, sdsl and cable. And after all the hassle the 120 I spent on a decent hardware router was one of the more worthwhile pc expenditures I've made in awhile.